SUBTXT
by leftminds
Summary: Because Duo didn't have it in him, that intent to manipulate, to meddle, to fix. So he was honest, because honesty was really the only thing Duo ever asked of anyone. ((Trowa/Duo friendship, implied 1x2x1, past 3x4))


Title: SUBTXT

Pairing: Implied 1x2x1, implied past 3x4x3

Warnings/Rating: Language. Some not-entirely-kind observations on Quatre, due to Trowa being bitter.

Notes: Drabble for Sharon, who requested gen Trowa & Duo, "email".

His email dinged as soon as he sat down at his desk.

'YRU POUTING'

It took Trowa exactly three seconds to figure out what the message said. It took him two seconds more to compose a reply.

'I am not.'

Send.

Ding.

'YEA U R'

Trowa frowned. He didn't pout. Ever.

Ding.

'C? U R!'

That annoyed him, that Duo was watching his reactions. He stood and looked around the room, but couldn't see the other man anywhere. Thankfully, Wufei had never developed a sense for volume control.

"Maxwell, get off my desk!"

There-- through the glass wall of Wufei's office. He strode over and snuck a peek at the two, arguing over Duo's right to sit on the corner of Wufei's always-impeccable desk. He was waving his hands, one of which held a mobile-- the reason for the incomprehensible emails. An open door and four steps later, Duo was on the floor with a huff, Trowa was standing over him, and Wufei was trying desperately not to look amused.

"Hey! Not necessary, you prick," Duo groused, but he was grinning.

It wasn't until they were walking to the cafeteria that Duo spoke again. "So, buddy'ole'pal, what bug's been up your ass all morning?"

"I wasn't pouting."

"You sure as hell were. You're doing it right now."

Everything with Duo was up-front, straightforward, in your face. With Quatre, it had been mazes. Mazes of emotions, mazes of undertones, and he could never quite navigate them, never quite figure out if Quatre meant what he said, or meant something else entirely. Quatre had always held all the cards. It was one of the things he decidedly did not miss. It had been-- exhausting.

He never felt like he _owed_ Duo any answers, and that made it easier to give them. Because Duo didn't have it in him, that intent to manipulate, to meddle, to fix. So he was honest, because honesty was really the only thing Duo ever asked of anyone.

"I'm under review," he said.

"What?" Duo grabbed his arm and pulled Trowa out of the hallway and into the men's bathroom. A quick glance around, and then, "Why the fuck?"

"The thing with Leonard."

"Leonard was a shit who didn't know his ass from his elbow."

"Apparently it was my responsibility to make sure he did."

Duo let out an explosive sigh. "It's our responsibility," he grated, "to take out the bad guys. Not to babysit every half-wit who goes and gets himself killed."

Trowa grinned. "Now you're pouting."

Duo punched him on the shoulder, lightly, as they exited the bathroom. "Look, Heero's getting back tonight, yeah? So how abouts we take you out for a drink."

Trowa didn't have to think about it more than a moment to know it was a bad idea. Heero would be jet-lagged and tired, and after more than a week away, he'd be wanting to spend time with Duo-- alone time. It seemed ridiculous then, that Duo could mean that offer, that he would really drag an irritable Heero Yuy out for drinks because someone who was maybe-a-comrade once upon a time had a little bit of a bad day. But Trowa knew Duo meant it, because that was Duo, full steam ahead sincerity and always willing to go that length for anyone he parked himself in front of and decided, all on his own, was a friend.

It could be enough to make Trowa smile, really smile if he was the smiling type, if it didn't remind him so much of Quatre on days when he was willing to be a bit less unfair about Quatre, on days when he was just a little willing to admit that the other man had tried as hard as he could to love Trowa, and it hadn't worked because Trowa wasn't willing to love anybody like that, ever.

"Maybe another day," Trowa said, and Duo nodded, and they went to lunch like they always did, Trowa every day ordering a turkey sandwich and Duo every day ordering something different from the day before.

That night, just left of drunk and sitting on his lumpy couch watching some television program he was only half paying attention to, Trowa's email dinged.

'DRINKS 2MRW? HRO SEZ HI :)'

And Trowa smiled.


End file.
